As the Tuscaloosa twister sped ever closer, one family was looking back at it – with a video camera.

Can you feel the torrential downpours and fierce winds? We can. Truthfully, this feels a scene from Michael Bay production, but we assure you, this is no special effect. The video quite clearly shows Mother Nature’s true (and inimitable) fury.

While this family was – fortunately – not directly underneath the funnel, sparing them a brunt of destruction, NewsFeed is impressed with their staying power. The videographer stuck outside until the tornado tore ever closer, just hundreds of feet away from their complex.

Despite the cries of those around him, the cameraman remains devoted to his mission — keeping the camera’s lens trained on the tornado. It’s only after a healthy dose of reality kicks in that he quickly ducks inside, only to continue filming from the window. And it’s a move that likely saved his life, because less than 10 seconds later the twister barrels through their subdivision, swirling all sorts of debris outside.